Celebrities Who've Changed Their Names To Broaden Market Appeal (PHOTOS)

Once upon a time stars Anglicized their names to appeal to a broader market. A Mexican-American musician, most famous for the early rock-and-roll hit La Bamba, changed his name from Richard Valenzuela to Ritchie Valens at the encouragement of record executives. Charlie Sheen was born Carlos Estevez. Anthony Quinn was once Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca.

But more and more it seems celebrities are changing their names to be more appealing to their audiences by reinforcing their Hispanic heritage. Journalist Geraldo Rivera used to be Gerald, and Carlos Mencia? His real name is Ned!

Even non-Latinos are getting into the game. Up and coming musician, Lana del Rey doesn't have any Latina or Spanish ancestry. Rather, she thought the Latina name would help complete the persona she's adopted to help interest audiences and sell albums.

Take a look below at celebrities who've either Anglicized or Hispanicized their names. Let us know your thoughts about all of this by voting and in comments below.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[Ed Rodguez]

01:02 PM on 04/20/2012

Changing your name does not mean you are ashamed of your ethnicity. It could be that you don't like the name or that you want to be different or that you want to start a new family name beginning with you. Especially, if you marry someone not of your ethnicity. The expectation being that your children would carry the new name from that point on into the future. This applies mainly to a made up name like RODGUEZ versus Rodriguuez.

[LMPE]

03:03 PM on 01/15/2012

Martin Sheen's real name is Ramon Estevez.

[Juan Batista author]

01:23 PM on 01/15/2012

Mencia has "face criticism" not for his name change, but because he panders to racists. That's almost his whole audience, white racists.

[Villalobos]

01:13 AM on 01/15/2012

What about Benjamin Bratt; I remember his last was Juarez many years ago. Also, Steven Bauer, his last name was something like Echevarria; can't remember if his first name might've been Hector?

[ucanyell2]

07:10 PM on 01/14/2012

It is a shame that Rita Hayworth had to kill her hair to hide her Spanish "roots" (pun intended).

Editor missed it: "She died her hair..."

Oh, no, she did not. She DYED her hair.

I'd bet money this was an AOL editor...or none at all.

This rag continues down the slippery slope of just bad quality control.

[Godweiser]

06:23 PM on 01/14/2012

Axl Rose (William Bruce Bailey) and Nikki Sixx (Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna, Jr.)

[freddsky]

01:56 PM on 01/14/2012

Barbara Hutton might have gladly bedded Archibald MacLeish, but she only married Cary Grant.
All schlepp and no bling can quickly produce a name change.

[5th time banned]

12:21 PM on 01/14/2012

James Roday.

[BlairCase]

11:39 AM on 01/14/2012

Anglicized stage names is not just an Hispanic trait. It's more the rule than the exception. Natalie Wood was born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko. Tony Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz. Even actors with Anglo names adapt "better sounding" stage names. Cary Grant was born Archibald Leach. Michale Cain is actually Michael Maurice Joseph Micklewhite. Actress Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez de Pinault goes by her Arabic name, Salma Hayek. ("Salma" means "safe" in Arabic.) At least Cameron Diaz was brave enbough to use her Hispanic surname.

[harriettubman]

01:06 PM on 01/14/2012

Some names were changed because original names were too long and spelling was bad too so a new, modern, name with rhythm was created.

I can see the older actors changing their names due to discrimination but the younger people changing their names to defy their ethnicities is sickening. It's denying who they are.

[JacksonHts]

01:55 PM on 01/14/2012

Its true that American actors from all non anglo ethnic groups have had to deal with the issue of whether to anglicize their names, and still do (Jennifer Aniston). Jose Ferrer and Rita Moreno obviously chose not to in the 50's and 60's. I do remember the buzz growing up in late sixties PR when The High Chapparal episodes dubbed into Spanish began arriving/airing because an actor from one of our local high schools was in the show. He had anglicized his name to Henry Darrow to make it easier to get work and not get type cast. My memory may be wrong but I think the next PR actors to come along in US movies and TV were Hector Elizondo and Raul Julia and they didnt feel they had to alter their names.

[mira chancleta]

10:42 AM on 01/14/2012

As seemingly dishonest as this phenomenon might be, it is completely understandable.

Think about it...

The stereo-type of ANYONE born in a Spanish-language cultural context, regardless of whether they speak Spanish or not is one that promotes derision, comical or threatening stereo-types and a long list of inaccurate references.

In Hollywood, the "latino" stereo-type has been a long time evolving...

At first it was exotic...the quasi-Latin "lover" of the silent movie era, with heavy eye make-up who always stood chest-out, standing over the quivering blonde "virgin" in the tent with the pouty red lipstick.

FAST FORWARD 80 years..."Latin" lover went from exotic to exaggerated and totally laughable and inaccurate...

Today "latino" characters seldom exist out of the East L.A. barrio, usually commute between the Big House and mowing lawns in Beverly Hills or dancing at the street weddings of their 14 year old daughters. Bullets-fly through "latino" homes whether it is in the Bronx, Los Angeles, Miami or Tucson.

Who wouldn't detach from this stigma created in the same American society that keeps harping about "diversity" and "multi-culturalism" but continues to pay $10 to see films with oen "latino" stereo-type after another.

Now go ahead haters and sling that "latino" salsa...

[harriettubman]

01:16 PM on 01/14/2012

The Charlie Sheens and Geraldo Rivera's should be ashamed for disowning their ethnicities. Charlie's dad surely didn't. Stage names are one thing but running away from your ethnic group means denial and shame. Well, we've seen how Charlie has lived his life.

[KarateKid]

01:38 PM on 01/14/2012

Charlie's dad did the same thing.

[Fogcatcher]

03:22 PM on 01/14/2012

Martin Sheen did the same thing!!!